The Spy Who Came In From The Cold(1965) I'm pleased this John Le Carre adaption turned up cos I'd recently enjoyed Night Manager and this didn't disappoint. Richard Burton is perfectly cast as a cynical spy posing as a double agent. The script is intelligent with some clever twists, the black and white colour suits the austere nature of the film. Interestingly, the character George Smiley turns up in a support role played by Rupert Davies, and there's good performances from Claire Bloom,Cyril Cusack & Oskar Werner 7.5/10
The Boss Anatomy Of A Crime (2014) A butcher in working class Buenos Aires kills his boss, and in flashback we found out the circumstances.... Skilfully showing flashback, and also after the murder focussing on the butcher's inexperienced lawyer. This method works well, the performance of Joaquin Ferriel evokes your sympathy and the film tackles the lot of the poor and disabled in Argentina 7.5/10
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978) Surely one of the best remakes of a classic, it succeeds because it doesn't follow the original slavishly although there's plenty of paranoia and tension right through the length of the film. Top performances from Leonard Nimoy, Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum & Veronica Cartwright and a clever cameo from Kevin McCarthy, the star of the 1956 version 8.5/10
Brooke Adams shows off her assets
![[Image: Brooke-Adams-Nude.jpg]](http://faptuary.net/images/brooke-adams/Brooke-Adams-Nude.jpg)
Ben Hur(1925)[silent version]
Stunning action sequences backed up by a rousing orchestral score from Carl Davis.This masterpiece set the standard for action films in the 20th century.
A Walk In The Woods with Robert Redford and Nick Nolte. Actually quite good and funnier than I expected!
The Testament of Dr.Mabuse(1933)
Fritz Lang directs this unsettling film about the mad Dr.Mabuse.A criminal genius who seems to be controlling a crime wave from inside an asylum for the insane.
8/10
Half Of A Yellow Son (2013) The tale of twin sisters (Thandie Newton & Anika Noni Rose) during the late 1960s Nigerian Civil War, the other cast members include Chiwetel Ejiofor, Joseph Mawle, John Boyega, Onyeka Onwenu. Despite the interesting back story of the war and a decent cast, especially Newton, the central drama never quite grabs, indeed a film centering more on the war might have been better 5/10
Twelve O'Clock High (1949) Gregory Peck as a commander of a US bomber unit based in the UK and his attempts to improve their morale. A complex, well written drama with Peck on top form( he was Oscar nominated ) probably one of the first to cover the psychological impact of war on men. Dean Jagger won a Oscar in the supporting actor category. 8/10
The Quiet Ones (2014) Set in 1970s Oxford a professor (Jared Harris) and several students set out to find if a troubled young woman (Olivia Cooke)is inflicted by supernatural forces. Boosted by good performances from Harris (son of Richard) and Cooke, it generally avoids cheap scares and benefits from its time period and setting 7/10
Sideways(2004)
An amazingly acted comedy/drama from Alexander Payne about two friends that go on a wine tasting road trip and really discover things they don't like about themselves.Nominated for five academy awards,this was one of the most darkly funny and intelligent films of the noughties.
8.5/10
Killer Clowns From Outer Space(1988)
A flying circus tent from outer space lands in a small town,Dangerous aliens who look like clowns,kill with custard pies and unleash balloon animals that attack!
An enjoyable piece of craziness from the gifted stop motion animators the Chiodo Brothers.
7/10
Glengarry Glen Ross(1992)
David Mamet's profane,ruthless script skewers the gung ho agonies of ageing cold callers at a Chicago real estate office.Excellent work all round from Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris,Alan Arkin,Kevin Spacey and Al Pacino.The stand out though is Jack Lemon as the instantly likeable Shelley "The Machine" Levene.The tarnished past pattermaster whom director Mamet uses as his whipping boy to expose the heartlessness of this "world of men".Aided by its no fat structure and breathless dialogue,its one of the best films that analyses alpha male,competition in the work place.
9/10
The Cockleshell Heroes (1955) Directed and starring Jose Ferrer who plays a major tasked with training marines to sabotage German shipping in Bordeaux, the latter part of the journey by using kayaks. There's probably a slight overdose of knockabout humour in the first half of the film, but conflict between Ferrer and the marine captain played by Trevor Howard is excellent and helps drive the film. The supporting cast includes Anthony Newley, David Lodge and Victor Maddern 7/10
The Magic Box (1951) The biography of William Friese-Greene billed here as the inventor of the motion camera, although in reality he invented one of the versions, which is briefly mentioned. The film, made to coincide with The Festival Of Britain has a cast of stars of the time playing cameos. Robert Donat is excellent as Greene,sensitively playing him. The film, told partly in flashblack, shows how the inventor despite his ability and passion is now no longer well known, partly due to his financial niaivity and partly alienating collegues and friends 6.5/10
Midway (1976) The story of the post Pearl Harbour battle which swung the conflict in the USA's favour and against Japan. Starring Henry Fonda, Charlton Heston and host of other stars of the time, the battle plays out a bit like a chess game, the film emphasising the strategy. A key plus point is showing both points of view as there are several scenes showing the Japanese viewpoint. 7/10